Fashion 911

I've been busy tending to a fashion emergency. I had my concert at school last week on 5/28 and I tried on my summer little black dress only to find that it was uncomfortably snug. I wore something else for the concert, but I needed a dressy dress for a wedding we went to this past Saturday. So Friday the 29th I headed to Joanns to look. I had a McCall's pattern in hand figuring that I would find an embroidered linen or something suitable. Nada. I browsed through the patterns and found a great Vintage Butterick pattern:


I included the drawings to show the unusual construction of this dress. There are no side seams on the bodice. The front wraps around and hooks in the back then the back zips up and the extensions wrap around the front and cross to the back where they tie. This dress takes over 5 yards of fabric. I looked at some silk dupioni and the only color with enough fabric was fire engine red. I typically love fire engine red, but my thought was that using it for a "fat" dress would make me truly resemble a fire engine! I bought the pattern and left the fabric. I spent Friday night making a muslin. I found that the dress gapped at the neck and armhole edges. I pinned tucks in the muslin to adjust the fit:

I slashed the pattern and made the alterations on the pieces. The pattern had the bodice lined with the fashion fabric. I used Bemberg rayon lining. I also lined the skirt, taking out about 1/4 - 1/3 of the fullness as it is a full circle and I didn't want the lining to be as full. I was really pleased with the end result!




I love this pattern! I've always been fond of 50's dresses and I had a collection of them which I sold off. I've decided to make a cotton version of this one. I ordered some flamboyant red flowered cotton for the next one!

I also finished Simplicity 2733. I have mixed feelings about this one. I love the design but I hate the way the front has pockets. There are three layers of fabric in the front which just seems wrong for a design made out of a slinky knit. I also don't love the fabric which is a rayon/ lycra knit. I dislike sewing with rayon as it gets iron shine which bugs me. Anyway, here's the finished top:


I have done no knitting. Nada! I need to finish my musica mitts. I'll try to do that while I watch hockey tomorrow but that is really difficult. My yarn for the Botanica Medallion shrug came. It is a lovely tan cotton/ silk blend. I'll start that once my mitts are done.

The wedding we went to Saturday was lovely! It was in Baltimore at a beautiful Catholic Church in Charles Village by Johns Hopkins. The reception was at the Baltimore Museum of Industry which is right on the water. I snapped a shot of a famous Baltimore landmark:

I don't know if it is clear enough to make out but it is the Domino Sugar factory sign!

I also got one of the centerpieces from the table:

There were three of these on each table--each in a can of a different size and shape.

I stayed home today. I've had bronchitis since Friday and I needed to get to the doctor. After getting an antibiotic, I'm starting to feel better so it is back to the old grind tomorrow!

Kitty Cam: Mike and Harley, cheek to cheek!